I'm in Dingle for the olympics of the flapping world,the Dingle races,Heres a review of last nights action and a couple of fancies of mine on todays cards. PS 2 winners at Galway last week have allegedly shown there wares at this seasons flapper action. Dingle report Day 1 Wonderful Tonight, Che Guevara and Little Rock strike for the South. It was a good night for the Southern horses at the opening stage of the Dingle festival. Wonderful Tonight was a most impressive winner of the 10 furlong event under Keith Donoghue for Glenbeigh owner Ger O Connor. This one dug really deep up the straight to get the better of the Paul Leckey ridden Mountain Hawk with North Star in third. The winner is expected to turn out again on Sunday and was following up here following impressive wins at Broadford and Ballinasloe. It was hard luck on jockey Ross Coakley who failed to get back on time following a broken collar bone sustained in Broadford. Dave Keane and Gavin Sheehan have a tremendous record at the festival and they were on the mark in the first division of the mile contest when the high class Che Guevara routed his rivals and will be back on Saturday for the Guinness Mile which he won last year. Local jockey Kate O Brien was busy all evening and she got on the score sheet when the versatile Little Rock won the local race from Sikorski and Dingle Bay. Little Rock caught the eye in Dunmanway on Monday and was an impressive winner here. Racing opened with a winning favourite when Hats Off got the better of Gavin Sheehans Approach the Bench over a mile and a half. Filling the next placings were Athea Flair, Sir John and Danny Boy. Paul Leckie who won the derby last year struck in the second division of this contest when Grey Way was a most impressive winner for the O Donnells of Co Leitrim. The Derby Trial was divided and produced two winners who absolutely bolted in and set up a mouth watering clash for Sundays feature. Love Boat Captain and CU look high class two milers and lets hope they return in top shape on Sunday. Keith Donoghues double Keith Donoghue was the only jockey to complete a double and followed up victory on Wonderful Tonight when Backie proved too strong for the front running Need for Speed who was also a runner up at Dunmanway on Monday. Laura Barry gave this one a power packed drive and was seen to good effect on her mounts during the evening. There was an upset in the concluding 15 hh when King Kenny under Kevin Sexton upset last years winner My Lovely with Top Gear and Laura Barry running a career best in third. There was no joy for Patch, Susie Quatro, The Hen House and Whiskey Jack who all faded out up the straight. Rovers tips for Saturday Golden Mile-------What Do You Think 15 hands derby---My Lovely Local Cob Race---Little Rock.
The 2nd days action featured one of the most anticipately races in years the 1m Guinness golden mile.The quality of horse running in it would have done justice to any listed race on the flat in Ireland and the runners wouldnt have looked out of place at Curragh or Leopardstown.The winner,west Corks champion, Che Guevara has cemented his place as possibly the greatest flapper ever in the history of the sport after his scintillating win yesterday.No doubt he'll turn up today and looks a moral certainty to bag the treble for the 2nd successive year running.Heres the southern associations report. Dingle report Day 2 Che Guevara the undisputed champion. It was sheer class rising to the top at Dingle this afternoon when Che Guevara put up a brilliant performance to win the Guinness Champion Mile for the second successive year. Impressive winner on Friday night Gavin Sheehan gave him a power packed drive and scraped the paint all the ways around. He looked in trouble on the far side the final time when What Do U Think swept to the front in a bid to justify his huge band of midlands supporters. However Gavin showed all class in the saddle and fought back bravely up to rails and went on for a cosy victory. It was a huge relief for all his southern supporters and his owners the D & C syndicate. There is now no denying Che Guevara as the undisputed champion. Laura is Miss Wonderful. Miss Wonderful an impressive winner at Castleisland repeated the dose in the 14.2 contest under Laura Barry to beat Total Surprise and Credit Crunch. The winner was prominent all the ways and was sent on before the home straight by her Limerick jockey and in the end ran out a convincing winner. Laura who had two winners here last year will be reunited with this winner tomorrow afternoon. Rosaleen upsets southern ponies in 13.2. Rosaleens Charm representing the T & D syndicate from Co. Galway caused a mild surprise in the 13.2 contest to give Connor Orr his first Dingle victory. There was a strong challenge here from the southern pony circuit with Young Nun, The Pie and Moody Mary all holding big form chances but Rosaleens Charm held on really bravely in the closing stages to beat Young Nun and the Pie in a close finish. Megan the ladies champion. The Dingle Pub Ladies Derby produced another thrilling finish with What Can I Say under Megan Carberry bravely holding off Top Donkey under Kate Lenihan and Eurostar under Tara O Donnell. Push the Buttons four in a row. Push the Button gave Conor Brassil his first winner of the meeting when recording his fourth success in the mile contest. Conor double up when My Lovely touched off last evening when one better in the second division of the 15 hh. Conor now joins Gavin Sheehan and Keith Donoghue as the leading jockeys heading into derby day in what now looks a wide open title race. Fergies runaway win. Former leading flat jockey Tyrone Williams gained his first Dingle victory when Fergies Boy absolutely sluiced in to take the opening contest over a mile and a half. Mr Brightside stayed on from the back to finish second but we will seldom wittness an easier Dingle winner than the Co. Derry owned Fergies Boy. Daniel Benson took the first division of the 15 hh when Wee Jimmy beat the Dingle regular Glory Days with Tipp Toes slightly disappointing in third. Todays races Sunday Morans & Adams Ballintaggart Race - 2.30 Value:1500 - Open Horse Race - 1¼M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sráid Eoin Race - 3.00 Value:1500 - Hands Cob Race - 1½M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benner’s Hotel Irish Pony Derby - 3.30 Value:1750 - 14.2 Hands Pony Race - 1¼M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paul Geaney Race - 4.00 Value:1500 - Local Horse Race - 1M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn Milk Dingle Derby - 4.45 Value:6000 - Derby - 2M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P & T Fitzgerald Race & The Corney Cremins Trophy - 5.15 Value:1500 - Open Horse Race - 1M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barr na Sráide Race and Billy Fitz Memorial Cup - 5.45 Value:1500 - Consolation Horse Ra - 1½M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rovers Derby Fancy- Loveboat Captain (ew)
What was an absolute shite day weather wise,but the dingle derby lived up to all expectations when the fairytale story of Ritchie Doyle from Kildare and Loveboat Captain ground out a famous victory thats up there with some of the greatest underdog storys of all time.Ritchie and his da only purchased the capn' for 250e 6 weeks ago as a horse for Ritchie to learn the trade of horse race riding lark and the duo went on to duly win the holy grail of the flapper season.Ritchie has only ever had 4 rides on the pony racing circuit and hes ridden the capn' to victory on each of them.Keith Donoghue from Dunshaughlin went on to win top jockey with 3 wins and more places from Gavin Sheehan who is going on now to ply his trade on the track.Kate O Brien from Dingle rode her 2nd winner of the weekend (and so cruelly denied a famous victory on ask me da in the derby in 2nd) an another creditable week,goes on to purshue a career in physiotherapy. Love Boat Captain sinks his Derby rivals. On a wet Derby afternoon in Dingle Love Boat Captain landed the Dawn Milk Dingle Derby under Ricky Doyle from Kildare. An impressive winner on Friday night he was always travelling well here and after taking it up on the final circuit ran on really well in the climb to the finish to beat Ask Me Da under Kate O Brien with Watch Me running a stormer in third for Darragh Lordan.The first three pulled away in the final furlong and a half and it was a real gripping finish but what a first visit to Dingle for winning jockey Ricky Doyle. Big disappointment of the race was C U who never looked likely while Out All Night faded after being up there early on. Last years Derby winning jockey Paul Leckey struck in the opening event over ten furlongs with Mountain Hawk who foiled Saturdays Ladies Derby winner What Can I Say with Tony B a fine third for Gavin Sheehan. Little Rock a winner on the opening night for Kate O Brien was a close up second in the fiveteen hands to Bins And Kids ridden by Kevin Sexton with The Boodyman third for Laura Barry. Kate O Brien had better luck in the 14.2 Pony Derby when Total Surprise beat long time leader Connemara Mist with yesterdays winner Miss Wonderful close behind in third for the Barry team. The local race went to Rock Hopper ridden by Daniel Benson for the Granvilles beating Answer The Call under Fabio Benito with Sikorski third for Colm O Connor and Keith Donoghue. What Do You Think runner up to Che Guevara in the Golden Mile recouped some of those losses when beating the ultra consistent Danny Boy and Gavin Sheehan in the Mile Race but Gavin had quick compensation in the next when Papparazi beat Dingle Bay and Athea Flair in the first split of the consolation while Keith Donoghue sent favourite backers home on the right note when hotpot Giggsy narrowly prevailed in the finale.
Was at this on saturday, good craic, a bit like Father Ted at the races. Had the winner in the last race, My Lovely, to send us back to Dingle happy.
Tipped up by yours truly,My Lovely owned by Buddy Harrison from Monesterevin in Kildare a cracking winner.
You did in fairness but we got the tip on the course from a former Grand National winner so we could hardly back against him!